The Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Storyline: One late night a girl and her father go owling. It is winter and the snow is covering the ground and the girl is all bundled up. They walked through the still forest without a word because, said Pa, when you go owing you don’t need words, just hope. They stroll through the dark woods, cold air creeping up the little girls back. But she says nothing because when you go owling you have to be brave.
Whoo-whoo-whoo they go. There is no answer, just the shadows of the forest and the feeling that something is hidden behind trees.
Whoo-whoo-whoo says Pa one more time. This time they hear a call back. Whoo-whoo-whoo say the owl, flying off a tree. They catch the owl on the light of a flashlight lending on a branch and stare at each other for a long time. Finally, the owl spreads its wings and lifts off. The girl and her father return home. She can now speak and laugh if she wants, but she walks quietly by her father, under the light of an Owl Moon.

Characters: girl, Pa, owl

Medals/ Awards: Caldecott Medal for Illustration

Illustration: John Schoenherr is the illustrator of this book. His watercolor pictures had won the Caldecott medal for Illustration. His depiction are mainly shades of white, blue, and black with an occasional color accent. Page after page you will be enchanted by depiction of natural world and the mysterious forest.